Robert Lewandowski PolandGetty Images

Which European teams have qualified for World Cup 2018 in Russia?

There are only four World Cup 2018 qualification places left to play for in Europe as group play reached its conclusion on October 10.

France and Portugal were the last teams to wrap up top spot in their groups and confirm their place at the finals, joining the likes of Spain, Germany and England.

France 11/2 to lift WC

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For Italy, Croatia and Switzerland, among others, though, the second-place play-offs loom in November before the draw for the tournament in Russia a month later.

Goal has your complete guide to the current qualification picture as we edge nearer to the return of the biggest sporting event on the planet.


QUALIFIED TEAMS


TeamMethod
RussiaHosts
FranceGroup A winner
PortugalGroup B winner
GermanyGroup C winner
SerbiaGroup D winner
PolandGroup E winner
EnglandGroup F winner
SpainGroup G winner
BelgiumGroup H winner
IcelandGroup I winner
TBCPlay-off winner
TBCPlay-off winner
TBCPlay-off winner
TBCPlay-off winner

GROUP TABLES


Thomas Muller GermanyGetty Images

The 54 countries participating are split into nine groups of six.

The teams in each group play each other twice - once at home and once away. The nine first-place teams qualify directly for the World Cup finals.

The nine second-place teams are then ranked by points, but with the results of their games against the last-placed team in their group discarded (leaving eight games each).

The best eight teams on that basis are drawn at random into four two-legged play-off ties, with the ninth team eliminated. The winners of those ties also qualify for the World Cup finals.

Group A:

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1France (Q)10721186+1223
2Sweden (PO)10613269+1719
3Netherlands (E)106132112+919
4Bulgaria (E) 104151419-513
5Luxembourg (E)10136826-186
6Belarus (E)10127621-155

Group B:

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Portugal (Q)10901324+2827
2Switzerland (PO)10901237+1627
3Hungary (E)104151414013
4Faroe Islands (E)10235416-129
5Latvia (E)10217718-117
6Andorra (E)10118223-214

Group C:

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Germany (Q) 101000434+3930
2Northern Ireland (PO) 10613176+1119
3Czech Republic (E) 104331710+715
4Norway (E) 104151716+113
5Azerbaijan (E) 103161019-910
6San Marino (E) 100010251-490

Group D:

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Serbia (Q) 106312010+1021
2Republic of Ireland (PO) 10541126+619
3Wales (E) 10451136+717
4Austria (E) 104331412+215
5Georgia (E) 10055814-65
6Moldova (E) 10028423-192

Group E:

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Poland (Q) 108112814+1425
2Denmark (PO) 10622208+1220
3Montenegro (E) 105142012+816
4Romania (E) 103431210+213
5Armenia (E) 102171026-167
6Kazakhstan (E) 10037626-203

Group F:

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1England (Q) 10820183+1526
2Slovakia 10604177+1018
3Scotland (E) 105321712+518
4Slovenia (E) 10433127+515
5Lithuania (E) 10136720-137
6Malta (E) 10019325-221

Group G:

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Spain (Q) 10910363+3328
2Italy (PO) 10721218+1323
3Albania (E) 104151013-313
4Israel (E) 104061015-512
5Macedonia (E) 103251515011
6Liechtenstein (E) 100010139-380

Group H:

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Belgium (Q) 10910436+3728
2Greece (PO)10541176+1119
3Bosnia & Herzegovina (E)105232413+1117
4Estonia (E)103251319-611
5Cyprus (E)10316918-910
6Gibraltar (E) 100010347-440

Group I:

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Iceland (Q) 10712167+922
2Croatia (PO) 10622154+1120
3Ukraine (E) 10523139+417
4Turkey (E) 104331413+115
5Finland (E) 10235913-49
6Kosovo (E) 10018324-211

(Q) = qualified
(PO) = qualified at least for play-off
(E) = eliminated
Bold = final position confirmed


SECOND-PLACE RANKING


Cristiano Ronaldo PortugalGetty Images

The nine second-place teams from each group are ranked by points, but with the results of their games against the sixth-placed team in their group discarded.

Those points don't count because there were initially two groups of five teams until Kosovo and Gibraltar were admitted to UEFA. UEFA subsequently decided not to change the rules despite the fact that the groups are now balanced.

The best eight teams on that basis will be drawn - based on seeding - into four two-legged, home-and-away play-off ties, with the ninth team eliminated.

The seeding will be based on the next update to the FIFA world rankings, which will make Switzerland, Italy, Denmark and Croatia the seeded teams and Sweden, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Greece the unseeded teams.

The winners of those ties will qualify for the World Cup finals.

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Switzerland (PO)8701186+1221
2Italy (PO)8521128+417
3Denmark (PO)8422136+714
4Croatia (PO)842284+414
5Sweden (PO)8413189+913
6Northern Ireland (PO)8413106+413
7Greece (PO)834195+413
8Republic of Ireland (PO)834175+213
9Slovakia (E)8404116+512

(PO) = qualified for play-off
(E) = eliminated
Bold = final position confirmed


WHEN ARE THE PLAY-OFFS?


World Cup 2014 play off draw Portugal

FIFA has confirmed that the European qualifiers play-off draw will take place on Tuesday, October 17.

The draw will be held in Zurich and things kick off at 14:00 CET (13:00 GMT), with the event being streamed live on FIFA's website as well as their YouTube channel.

The eight teams involved in the draw will be split into two pots, with the four highest-ranked teams according to the FIFA world rankings in one pot and the four lowest-ranked teams in another.

When will the play-off matches be played?

The dates have not yet been confirmed, but FIFA says that the play-offs are expected to take place between November 9 and 14.

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